I turn 23 in a couple days. And as if the timing were intended, I'm listening to the new Jimmy Eat World album for the first time. It sounds like more of Futures, and that's a good thing - it's made me feel like I'm in college again. (It's also the first time I've so strongly referred to college in the past-tense, and that's on a level so tragic I haven't come to understand it yet.) Following established habit, I had a rough night playing Halo, I'm IMing old friends past bedtime, I drank a few stiff Jack and Cokes, and I'm still on Facebook harassing everyone I can.Here's what's new with me since I've last been here:
-We're 4 months into my year-long JET contract. 1/3rd done, for better and worse.-I'm torn every day on where to live for the next while - Japan, or the US? As a country, I think I like Japan more - even in my super-poor town there's not really 'poverty,' and I'm not incredibly jaded with the people, the culture, the pop culture, or the women. I'm bored with being American - but being an American in Japan is incredibly exciting and empowering. Whether or not I can give up this power and sudden allure I have is a really difficult question.-I'm definitely not staying where I live now. I turned down the option to renew my contract in Kawamoto and I don't feel any regret about it - at least, not yet. I'll likely miss my kids more than I do now, and maybe I'll miss others as well, but as of right now I won't have *too* many problems getting the hell out of this town.-I've noticed that my Japanese life contains a noticeable lack of humor - I haven't laughed my ass off since summer. The closest I've come is the excellence that is Season 2 of The Boondocks. This, above all else, makes me miss my college-age friends and roommates.-I just might write a book! My supervisors from my video game thesis highly recommended I seek publication, and because I'm an idiot it took me a full 6 months to realize my cousin has worked in the book-writing business. So I'm getting her advice and getting my stuff together to write a book about video games and start looking for an agent and a publisher.-At the same time, I'm going to apply to Google Japan for a bilingual copy writer position. For most people living in Japan, Tokyo quickly loses its charm. Hasn't happened for me. I honestly think of the place as one of the happiest places on earth. -I worry about my mom's state of mind entirely too often.-I also miss the "special" people - the ones that give me a small buzz just by having a tiny "long time, no see, I miss you" conversation with them. So hello to Vicki, Sayaka, Monica, everyone from a-town, and above all my college roomies. I miss all of you guys way too much.-I occasionally smoke, but I'm mindful not to really pick it up, as a) I don't want to have to quit and b) I have a niece! As of this writing, I think she's 3 days old if I'm counting the time lag right. Her name's Karoline and she's still in the "ugly baby" phase, but I'm excited to meet her upon my return to the States.-Whether temporary or permanent, I'll be making that US trip in August of next year.-Amazing still it seems - I'll be 23.
-We're 4 months into my year-long JET contract. 1/3rd done, for better and worse.-I'm torn every day on where to live for the next while - Japan, or the US? As a country, I think I like Japan more - even in my super-poor town there's not really 'poverty,' and I'm not incredibly jaded with the people, the culture, the pop culture, or the women. I'm bored with being American - but being an American in Japan is incredibly exciting and empowering. Whether or not I can give up this power and sudden allure I have is a really difficult question.-I'm definitely not staying where I live now. I turned down the option to renew my contract in Kawamoto and I don't feel any regret about it - at least, not yet. I'll likely miss my kids more than I do now, and maybe I'll miss others as well, but as of right now I won't have *too* many problems getting the hell out of this town.-I've noticed that my Japanese life contains a noticeable lack of humor - I haven't laughed my ass off since summer. The closest I've come is the excellence that is Season 2 of The Boondocks. This, above all else, makes me miss my college-age friends and roommates.-I just might write a book! My supervisors from my video game thesis highly recommended I seek publication, and because I'm an idiot it took me a full 6 months to realize my cousin has worked in the book-writing business. So I'm getting her advice and getting my stuff together to write a book about video games and start looking for an agent and a publisher.-At the same time, I'm going to apply to Google Japan for a bilingual copy writer position. For most people living in Japan, Tokyo quickly loses its charm. Hasn't happened for me. I honestly think of the place as one of the happiest places on earth. -I worry about my mom's state of mind entirely too often.-I also miss the "special" people - the ones that give me a small buzz just by having a tiny "long time, no see, I miss you" conversation with them. So hello to Vicki, Sayaka, Monica, everyone from a-town, and above all my college roomies. I miss all of you guys way too much.-I occasionally smoke, but I'm mindful not to really pick it up, as a) I don't want to have to quit and b) I have a niece! As of this writing, I think she's 3 days old if I'm counting the time lag right. Her name's Karoline and she's still in the "ugly baby" phase, but I'm excited to meet her upon my return to the States.-Whether temporary or permanent, I'll be making that US trip in August of next year.-Amazing still it seems - I'll be 23.